The Fall of the Unsinkable: A Marxist Criticism Approach to the Movie "Titanic"

By Kian Arceo

The untold secrets of a sunken ship in the Atlantic revealed by one of the survivors of the tragedy. This is the story of "The Titanic", a story of love and tragedy alongside happiness and sadness in one film. The purpose of this movie review is not just to give the summary of the movie but to view the movie from different perspectives and approaches. This critique seeks to apply Marxist criticism approach as the standpoint of the review. On the next paragraph is a summary of the plot of the movie.

After winning a trip on the RMS Titanic during a dockside card game, American Jack Dawson spots the society girl Rose DeWitt Bukater who is on her way to Philadelphia to marry her rich snob fianc� Caledon Hockley. Rose feels helplessly trapped by her situation and makes her way to the aft deck and thinks of suicide until she is rescued by Jack. Cal is therefore obliged to invite Jack to dine at their first-class table where he suffers through the slights of his snobbish hosts. In return, he spirits Rose off to third-class for an evening of dancing, giving her the time of her life. Deciding to forsake her intended future all together, Rose asks Jack, who has made his living making sketches on the streets of Paris, to draw her in the nude wearing the invaluable blue diamond Cal has given her. Cal finds out and has Jack locked away. Soon afterwards, the ship hits an iceberg and Rose must find Jack while both must run from Cal even as the ship sinks deeper into the freezing water. This is the focal point of the movie but more than just the plot, let us see it from various points.

Titanic clearly shows dominant ideology of differences regarding race, class or status in the society. Jack was a white Caucasian man who is poor whereas Rose was a wealthy first class passenger. The Titanic itself was divided into three separate classes. The First class, Middle class, and the Third class. The placements of the people in the ship were according to their class or status in the society. During the sinking process, the people from the First class were the first ones to occupy the life boats. A part from the Middle class was able to escape the sinking ship as well. But the Third class were the less fortunate ones who were given late notice and had very limited boats left available. It can be concluded that rich people are given more privilege than less wealthy ones.

Titanic is a nicely made movie. It contains complete elements an ideal movie should have. Incorporating different genres into it makes it more exciting and thrilling. Putting together romance, tragedy, and comedy played a major role in catching the heart of its audiences. It also teaches a good lesson about life that no matter the struggle and difference between two people, love will endure everything until it prevails. And most importantly, it has shown factual events of the legendary sunken ship which serves as commemoration for the lives taken by this historical tragedy.

Article Source: The Fall of the Unsinkable: A Marxist Criticism Approach to the Movie "Titanic"

Global Milk Industry Trend Analysis and Outlook

By Santosh Salgare

Industry Overview:

Milk is considered to be a complete food for human diet. For any mammal, milk is the primary source of nutrition, especially for infants, since this white liquid is easily digestible. Numerous health benefits associated with the consumption of milk include, but not limited to improved bone strength, stronger immune system, reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases, and healthier skin. Adequate consumption also aids in the deterrence of diseases such as dental decay, dehydration, obesity, and many other chronic diseases. Milk contains nutrients including Calcium, Vitamin A, B12, D, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Selenium, Protein, Riboflavin, Zinc, Carbohydrates, etc.

Milk accounts for around 14% of modern agricultural trade, along with its other products. Skimmed Milk Powder (SMP) and Whole Milk Powder (WMP) are the most demanded and traded commodities, whereas fresh milk accounts for only less than 1% of production traded. Infant Formula Milk is another highly demanded commodity with products such as Starting Milk Formula, Follow-on Milk Formula, Toddlers Milk Formula, and Special Milk Formula. According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, by production tonnage, milk ranked third with a production of 770 billion liters and was the most demanded agricultural commodity in terms of value globally in 2013.

Global milk industry depends on breeding animals such as cows, goats, sheep, buffaloes, and camels for milk production. However, lactose-free alternatives such as soy milk and almond milk are also of significant demand in the milk industry. However, cow milk is estimated to hold an 80% share of the global milk production. Buffalo milk, although produced in fewer quantities than cow milk, is produced and traded mainly in countries such as Pakistan and India. The milk production system can be categorized into four, namely specialized landless system, market-oriented system, subsistence-oriented integrated dairy-crop systems, and pastoral systems.

Market Dynamics, Trends, and Outlook:

The global milk industry is driven by the substantial demand from countries with dietary guidelines recommending milk as a staple food. Milk provides an average 134 kilocalorie of energy per capita per day. It is also an affordable source of nutrition to meet the daily recommended levels. For instance, in the United States, 100 kilocalorie milk costs only around US$ 0.23, whereas other sources such as egg, vegetables, and poultry cost around US$ 0.41.

North America accounts for a major share in the global milk industry with the U.S, Canada, and Mexico contributing significantly to the growth. Whereas, in South America, Brazil and Argentina dominate the industry and countries such as Uruguay and Chile are projected to exhibit slow growth.The milk industry in Russia exhibits a stunning growth with around 40% of the gross product of animal husbandry. The largest milk producer in the world is India followed by the U.S., China, and Pakistan, among others.

Long-term demand for milk and its products is projected to register a substantial growth, which in turn will result in price volatility. The industry is expected to witness erratic changes in prices in the upcoming years. The changing lifestyle, food habits, population growth, etc. are some of the factors bolstering the growth of the global milk industry. In a nutshell, the hike in milk production and consumption worldwide is the key factor boosting the global milk industry growth.

For instance, the European Union was regulated by a milk quota system until 2015, according to which every member state had a national production quota. In case if any state exceeded its quota, it must pay a set penalty to the EU. The abolishment of this system has been affecting the global milk industry on a positive note, which in turn is expected to spur the growth of the global milk industry in the near future.

Introduction of a variety of flavors, attractive packaging, and availability in different forms elevate the consumption of milk globally. For example, in March 2016, Prairie Dairy Farms introduced two fresh flavors, namely Strawberry Cr�me and Orange Cr�me, of its Peeps flavored milk. The packaged milk with new flavors and colors has gained strong market demand in the developed countries. The key participants in the global milk industry are slowly shifting their focus toward the developing countries in order to explore the market opportunities.

Busy life schedule of citizens in developing countries opens up a gargantuan scope for the multinational companies to gain a foothold in such markets focusing on breakfast products. Selling products through advertisements highlighting easy breakfast and on-the-go options will propel the growth of the global milk industry. Growing health concerns encourage the consumers from abstaining from carbonated soft drinks and other juices, which in turn creates an opportunity for the milk industry.

Apart from the aforementioned factors driving flavored milk market, the rising awareness on healthy diet hinders the market growth to an extent. However, the unflavored milk market witness a steady growth in the global milk industry and the trend is expected to continue over the upcoming years as well.

Key Participants:

The global milk industry is highly competitive and dynamic in nature. The competition among the key participants of the global milk industry results in the betterment of product quality, pricing, innovation, distribution, etc.Like in any other industry, in order to succeed, the brand must stand out from other products with a distinct and unique value proposition.

Some of the key participants in the global milk industry include, but not limited to China Mengniu Dairy Company, Nestl�, Lactalis, Amul, Associated Milk Producers, Dairy Farmers of America, Darigold, Dean Foods, Arla Foods, Groupe Even, DMK DeutschesMilchkontor GmbH, Bright Food, Grupo Lala, Meg Milk Snow Brand, FrieslandCampina, Meiji Dairies Corporation, Morinaga Milk Industry, SpoldzielniaMleczarskaMlekovita, Muller, Saputo, Sodiaal, and Yili Group.

Brand Essence Market Research are into market research & consulting. Our expertise is in creating market research reports for multiple industries. Follow us for latest research reports! Visit us: http://www.brandessenceresearch.com/. Call us on +44 2038074155 today to order this report or to ask for related reports.

Article Source:  Global Milk Industry Trend Analysis and Outlook

How to Make Marketing Investments Pay Off

By Joan Nowak

Customers are your source of revenue so it makes sense to invest money into attracting, converting and retaining them. But as you plan your efforts, here are a few things to consider to make your customer investments pay off.

#1 - Look Beyond Satisfaction

Customer satisfaction is certainly an indicator of customer repurchase intentions. Improvements can reduce churn and create new business through referrals. But even satisfied customers are not created equal when it comes to profitability. Understand why customers are satisfied. Some factors that impact both satisfaction and profitability include brands, products/services, buying experience, differentiation - and of course, price.

Satisfaction and profitability are not mutually exclusive. Some customers simply can't be profitably satisfied. So why make the investment in them? Invest resources in your profitable customers.

#2 - Focus on the Lifetime Value of the Customer

How much you invest to acquire a new customer or retain them will vary. But you need to think beyond the most recent or first transaction. Consider instead what you expect to earn from customers on an ongoing basis.

This long-term view considers what products or services they buy, how often and for how long. Seek to understand your customers' value. When you do, you can look for ways to improve it and decide how much you will spend to acquire and retain customers.

#3 - Budget and Plan for Retention Too

When it comes to marketing, think beyond new customer lead generation. While important, a portion of your marketing budget should be allocated toward nurturing and retaining customers. When you consider lifetime value, it's a good decision. Plus, it's a lot cheaper to retain a customer than to acquire a new one!

#4 - Track Retention Rate Over Time

What we measure we can celebrate or improve! Do you want to know if your customer investments are paying off? Your customer retention rate, over time, will tell you that.

You can calculate the retention rate for any period you choose: weekly, monthly, quarterly or something else that is relevant to you. Pay attention to the trends over time! To calculate, you need to know the following:

Retention Rate Formula: ((CE-CN)/CS)) X 100

CS - number of customers at the start of period

CN - number of new customers during the period

CE - number of customers at the end of period

Let's do the math with a simple example.

You started the first quarter (January 1) with 200 customers [CS]

You ended the first quarter (March 31) with 250 customers [CE]

During the first quarter (Jan 1 - Mar 31) you acquired 65 new customers [CN]

Let's plug them into the formula: ((CE-CN)/CS)) X 100

250 - 65 = 185; 185/200 =.925;.925 x 100 = 92.5

Your retention rate for the period is 92.5%

#5 - Monitor Satisfaction

If you spend money to acquire and keep customers, it makes sense to get feedback and monitor customer satisfaction. Surveys allow you to do this. When done right, they help you quantify the quality of your business - and support your investments.

When done by phone, they allow you to stay in contact with customers, identify and fix mistakes, identify possible problems (before they become major issues) and request testimonials, reviews, and referrals. Remember to apply item #1 above when you consider changes or improvements in your business - rely on feedback from ideal, profitable customers!

Customer acquisition and retention are important for any business. Planning how you will do both will save you time and money. Incorporating the five items above will help you make better decisions.

Joan Nowak is a results-oriented business coach and consultant who helps small businesses build profit by leveraging marketing, sales, operations, systems and people. To learn more about her services, access additional small business resources or schedule a complimentary consultation, visit http://www.HybridBizAdvisors.com.

Article Source: How to Make Marketing Investments Pay Off

Protect Your Nonprofit's Online Reputation

By Wayne Elsey

You might be thinking that you don't have to do anything to protect your online reputation. Perhaps you're thinking, who would want to do anything against a charitable organization? You would be mistaken. Criminals and trolls don't pick favorites, and unfortunately, any person or group can be fair game.

Nonprofits Can Be a Prime Target

In the "wild west" of the digital world and social media, plenty of people and organizations have gotten their emails, websites and social networks hacked by people who are looking to cause havoc or worse, steal. If your site is hacked, for instance, you can find yourself in a situation where people are donating to your charity, only the funds are not going to your nonprofit but into the pockets of criminals. The same can occur if you're social media accounts are hacked.

You can also find yourself on the "wrong" side of an issue, and let's face it, in today's world no one can please everyone and trolls would love the chance to make it rain negativity on your organization if they feel like it.

Therefore, it's always a smart thing to think about online reputation management.

An Ounce of Prevention

As the old adage goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And, although some nonprofits, particularly the smaller ones with limited resources and bandwidth prefer to have a limited online presence, this is not the approach you should be taking.

Your organization does, in fact, have to have an active website, mobile, digital and social media presence because, in the digital age, that's how you get supporters and engage. However, you have to be proactive about the risks that are involved, just as you would with your own bank account and personal accounts. I'm sure you take precautions with respect to your personal finances and social media accounts. The same is true for your nonprofit's digital presence.

Search Engine Results for Your Organization

Any online reputation management begins by searching for yourself on the big search engines, especially Google and then Bing. Search for your nonprofit's name and don't stop at seeing the results of the first page. Go deeper into the weeds by searching to see if there's anything adverse in the first five pages of the search results. You should also look at Google News and see if you missed anything that might have been written as a news item.

If you happen to find negative items, you need to make a note of them. See the source, and take note of the URL since you will probably be returning to those pages. Depending on the type of source, you can ask third-party sites to correct any erroneous information, however, depending on the source, you may have success or not.

Audit Your Social Media Accounts

The next places you'll want to review carefully are all of your social networking sites, including Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. If you see there are negative posts that may have been done by someone else, you can delete them. If you have comments or shares that are evidently from dissatisfied people (e.g., donors, ex-staff), the rule is to address it professionally and then take it offline as quickly as possible. Remember, you always want to remain positive, even if you're dealing with a negative situation. If you're dealing with trolls, then you can choose to briefly reply that you respectfully disagree or choose not to engage at all since trolls are looking to get a rise from you.

Reputation Services

If you find yourself in a situation where there's something about you on a search engine search or social media, you can also look at paid services such as Reputation Defender, or tools such as Trackur or Rankur. However, depending on the issue, you may end up spending a lot of money for incomplete results because nothing is ever really "erased" from the internet and search engines in our country are loathe to delete information. Each situation is different.

You or someone on your team should be regularly monitoring the digital information about your organization on the Internet and also on social media. Make sure, always, to have information at the ready should you need to challenge a third party platform about something they have in their system that is simply flat-out incorrect or even abusive. Read the "Terms of Service" for all platforms, including social media, so you can challenge things should it come to that concerning your online reputation.

Author of "Not Your Father's Charity: Grip & Rip Leadership for Social Impact" (Free Digital Download available at http://notyourfatherscharity.com/free-resources/ )

� 2018 Wayne Elsey and Not Your Father's Charity. All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: Protect Your Nonprofit's Online Reputation

The Top Business Trends You Must Keep in Mind

By Wayne Elsey

As you know, we live in an environment where it's "blink," and you missed it. Still, there's always an urgent need to keep on top of what is happening so that you can stay ahead in business. I own several companies and, candidly, I don't think there's a single day I'm not thinking about how to make things better and improve our competitive advantage in our industries.

A couple of days ago I read an article about a luxury yacht company that had been in business for generations, and although they had client orders on hand, in the tens of millions of dollars, they fired everyone and shuddered their doors. They were hemorrhaging money and not paying attention to the changing winds.

The reality is that I can sit here today and write what you want to be looking for in business trends and then a year from now, write the same sort of article with different ideas to keep an eye on as business and society evolve. Still, there are some areas that I think will remain constant and you should pay attention to in your company.

Always Pay Extra Attention to Millennials

For decades and decades, the "darling" of generations were the Baby Boomers because of their sheer size and buying power. As the Boomers are now seniors, the same can be said about Millennials. They will be, and already are, a force for years to come and they are the first generation that is pure digital natives. Your products and services should be marketed to them and how they think. By 2020, Millennials will have an estimated $1.4 trillion in spending power.

Get Comfortable With AI, IoT, and ML

What used to be buzzwords such as AI, IoT, and ML, are not anymore. They are not the future; they are the present. Most of you know about AI (Artificial intelligence), IoT (Internet of Things), but maybe you have not heard about ML (Machine Learning). Machine learning is when computers do things without being programmed to do it because they are learning it for themselves. Through machine learning, we are given self-driving cars, excellent web search tools, practical speech recognition programs and a host of other platforms. As technology evolves, all of these elements will play a more substantial part in life and business.

Remote Workforce

I have a preference for my team to be onsite, but for some functions and aspects of our work, these elements are outsourced. Currently 40% plus of American workers are doing some work remotely, without having to be present at their place of business all the time. This trend creates demand for adequately training remote employees through video conferencing platforms, especially for social media and programming positions. All that is required is a computer and Internet.

Get Past the Clutter

The way you brand your business is essential. People are drowning in data and information, and you have to be able to cut to the chase immediately. Branding, which encompasses the name, logo, etc., creates instant identification. With excellent branding, you are perceived as an authority, successful and trustworthy because you pay attention to the details. Also it makes prospecting easier. Customers find you. You can hire better talent. Candidates seek you out rather than looking to apply for a position with an unknown company. Because of branding, it is easier to create more businesses under the same name.

Opportunity Exists in Buying Businesses

There are more businesses for sale due to the retirement of the Baby Boomer and Millennials will be buying them and then reinventing the companies they buy. Keep an eye out for your competition because there's always an opportunity in looking to buy an existing competitor. For instance, you can buy their entire client base, or perhaps they've excelled in e-commerce, and you're able to bring that into your portfolio. I've successfully purchased some of my competitors, and it's only helped my businesses grow.

Author of "Not Your Father's Charity: Grip & Rip Leadership for Social Impact" (Free Digital Download available at http://notyourfatherscharity.com/free-resources/ )

� 2018 Wayne Elsey and Not Your Father's Charity. All Rights Reserved.

Article Source: The Top Business Trends You Must Keep in Mind